Airport check-in counter with baggage receiving and handling facility

ABSTRACT

A twin check-in counter having two counter desks and baggage receiving areas next to the counter desks and next to each other, there being a pallet conveyor facility behind the counter to be shared by the two counters; in each receiving area begins a flight of conveyor belt for moving baggage towards the pallets; two belts are disposed behind the two flights of conveyor belts for tilting luggage on its side, they are laterally displaceable, to align either of them with the pallet conveyor facility.

United States Patent 1 51 3,704,773 Lingg et al. 1 51 Dec. 5, 1972 [54]AIRPORT CHECK-IN COUNTER WITH [56] References Cited BAGGAGE RECEIVINGAND UNlTED STATES PATENTS HANDLING FACILITY 3,666,073 5/1972 Lmgg et al...l98/33 AC [7 2] Inventors: Gerhard Lingg, Lermen; Eberhard g Morfeldenboth of Primary Examiner-Evon C. Blunk ermany Assistant ExaminerJohnNitzke I [73] Assignee: Mannesmann-Geisel GmbH. & Co., Attorney-Ralph H.Seigemund and Smyth, Roston &

Mannheim, Germany Pavitt [22] Filed: Aug. 30, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT [21]Appl. No.: 176,070

A twin check-in counter having two counter desks and baggage receivingareas next to the counter desks and [30] Forelgn Apphcatlon Pnomy Datanext to each other, there being a pallet conveyor Feb. 26, 1971 Germany..P 21 10132.6 facility behind the counter to be shared by the twocounters; in each receiving area begins a flight of con- US. Cl. A, AC,veyor for moving baggage towards the pallets; two [51] I t Cl belts aredisposed behind the two flights of conveyor ll J b 11: f 1 th 1 t n [58]Field of Search ..19s/111, 33 AC, 102,1 e S 1 mg ggaga e ey are a era ydisplaceable, to align either of them with the pallet conveyor facility.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Dru e AIRPORT CHECK-IN COUNTER WITH BAGGAGERECEIVING AND HANDLING FACILITY The present invention relates toimprovements for baggage check-in and handling facilities in airportcheck-in counters. More particularly, the invention relates toimprovements in such facilities as set forth in our copendingapplication for patent, Ser. No. 116,832, filed on Feb. 19, 1971. Thedisclosure of this copending application is incorporated by referenceinthis application. The check-in counters, as described therein, arearranged, e.g., in a row, and conveyor facilities are arranged fortransporting baggage in direction transverse to the direction ofextension of the row of counters, towards the rear of the counter front.A conveyor facility as associated with an individual counter is toinclude a first conveyor belt for immediate placement of baggage by apassenger who checks in. At least one other belt is disposed behind thefirst one, whereby the first and preferably one other belt areconstructed to serve also as weighing scale; together they transport theluggage towards the rear. A luggage tilting assembly is disposed behindthe last one of this flight of belts for laying down any uprightstanding suitcases, and loading means are provided to load the suitcasesonto the pallets of a high speed conveyor facility.

In the preferred embodiment as disclosed in our copending application,pairs of such check-in counters are provided in mirror imageconfiguration so that their respective baggage handling facilities sharethe pallet loading equipment, but luggage tilting assembly is providedseparately for each counter. A laterally displaceable, orienting beltguides tilted suitcases from one or the other tilting assembly to apallet to be loaded.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention,the luggage tilting assembly is shared by two counters and is laterallydisplaceable so that the luggage from either flight of belts can bebrought to the pallet loading facility, that is disposed in line withthe center line of symmetry as between the two counters.

The arrangement in accordance with the invention obviates the need for aseparate, laterally displaceable orienting belt, as the tilting assemblyserves also as facility for guiding the luggage from the original pathof transport to the laterally displaced entrance path of the palletloading facility. Preferably, the tilting assembly is comprised of two,parallel running, endless conveyor belts, disposed side by side andtiltable about an axis in between, the axis being parallel to thedirection of transport of either belt.

In furtherance of the invention, the laterally displaceable tiltingassembly may constitute also a component of the pallet loading facility,in which case a pallet loading belt can be telescoped underneath thetilting assembly.

While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing outand distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as theinvention, it is believed that the invention, the objects and featuresof the invention and further objects, features and advantages thereofwill be better understood from the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of an example of the preferred embodimentof the present invention, similar in many respects to the embodiment asshown in FIGS.

l to 3 of the copending application, except for the improvement thatconstitutes the invention of the present application; and

FIG. 2 is a side view of a modified example of the 5 preferredembodiment of the present invention, and being analogous to FIG. 2 ofthe copending application in many respects.

Proceeding now to the detailed description of the drawings, la and 1bare two counter desks of a plurality of desks arranged, e.g., along oneside in an airport terminal'building. The two desks pertain to a twincheckin counter, and the gap between the two desks is the baggagereceiving area. Lines 3-3 denote the laterally outer boundaries of thetwin counter, having a line of symmetry in which is disposed apartitioning 2.

As to each half of the twin counter, there is aflight of conveyor beltshaving three such endless belts, all of them may be constructed asweighing scales. The three belts 4 pertain to desk la on one side ofpartitioning 2, and this flight begins in the baggage receiving areanext to desk la. Belts 4' on the other side of the partitioning pertainto desk lb analogously. Each of the belts is individually driven subjectto stop and go control by the respective clerk. Thus far, the assemblyis similar, ac tually identical to the corresponding facilities asdescribed in the copending application. Arrows 6 denote generally thedirection of desired luggage transport that is away from and towards therear of the row of counters.

The two counters of this twin counter share a luggage tilting assembly8. The assembly 8 includes a carriage 81 running on rails 82 indirection of double arrow 7, transverse to transport direction 6. Thecarriage 81 is driven by a drive 83 providing lateral displacement ofthe tilting assembly essentially in between three different operatingpositions to be described below. The dash dot lines denote thedisplacement range.

The tilting assembly is comprised of two endless conveyor belts 9 and 10disposed side by side, and the carriage or portion thereof may betiltable on axis 11 between these two belts. In other words, thecarriage has two hinged portions for the two belts 9 and I0, and thesetwo portions are hinged on axis 11. A symbolically denoted tilt drive 84may lift one side of belt 9, a tilt drive 84, oppositely placed, maylift one side of belt 10, so that either and both can pivot on axis 11.Thus, the upper sides of belts 9 and 10 are normally coplanar, at leastapproximately so, when the belts are folded back; on tilting both ofthem up, e.g. by about 45, a through results of V-shaped inner profilewith an angle of about 90 with a low point in axis 11.

A suitcase that stands upright on one of the belts 9 and 10 will be laidsideways on the other belt, upon operation of the tilt drives, and asthe two belts axes folded back, the suitcase will lie on this otherbelt. The two belts 9 and 10 move their upper surface in direction ofarrow 6, so that any load thereof is transported towards a palletloading facility 14 to be described next. The belt motion is, of course,at right angles to the carriage motion, and the tilt lifting istransverse to both these directions.

The pallet loading facility is comprised of a feeder belt 17 disposed inalignment with the partitioning wall 2 and with the axis 18 of symmetryof the twin counter. The load bearing, upper surface of belt 17 is atleast approximately coplanar with belts 9 and 10 when folded back. Apallet loading belt 16 is provided behind belt 17 but at a lower levelto permit telescoping underneath belt 17. For this, belt 16 is disposedon a carriage 19 and can reciprocate as indicated by double arrow 15. Inthe illustrated position, belt 16 is protracted and covers a shaft inwhich pallets move up and down (see shaft 21 and pallets in FIG. 2). Inthe retracted position belt 16 is at least partially underneath belt 17to render the pallet in the shaft accessible from above.

Every suitcase is first placed on the first one of a flight of weighingbelts, 4 or 4. The individual belts of the respective flight may becontrolled individually by the clerk standing behind the respectivelyassociated counter desk, as check-in progresses. Normally, the tiltingassembly 8 has the illustrated position so that belt 9 is aligned withthe flight of belts 4, while belt 10 is aligned with the flight of belts4.

Reference numerals 42 and 42' denote schematically weight sense pointsof the respective last belt of the two flights, and a control facility41 makes sure that only one flight can load tilting assembly 8. Itshould be noted here that normally the two flights are operatedindependently by the two clerks behind the two desks 1a and 1b aspassenger check-in at each of the two counters proceeds independentlyfrom the other one. However, the tilting device can serve only onecounter at the time. Therefor, independent from operation by the twoclerks behind counters 1a and lb, only one of the flights can move at atime if the respective last belt of both flights is loaded. This doesnot introduce any significant delay, as the tilting device serves eachcounter normally for only a short period, i.e., as to each counter, theduty factor for the tilting device is less than 50 percent, the twoflights are quite frequently both halted.

A suitcase that has been moved by one of the flights of belts will nowbe shifted on one of the tilting belts 9 or 10, as the case may be,whereupon they both tilt up and fold back again, so that thereafter thesuitcase will lie flat on one of the belts. It should be noted here thatthe location of the suitcases thereafter may not only depend on which ofthe flights fed the suitcase to the tilting assembly, but also whetherthe suitcase was placed on the first belt of the flight lying down or instanding position. Assuming that as a rule suitcases are placed instanding position (for example, because the belts are quite narrow andbecause the space between a desk and the partitioning does not permitany other placement), then the tilting device will always lay a suitcasedown on the respective other belt. Thus, a suitcase arriving on belt 9from flight 4 will, after folding, lie on belt 10. A suitcase, arrivingfrom flight 4', will be laid onto belt 9.

The belts 9 and 10 may have stopped in the meantime (which is notnecessary in principle; if these belts are sufficiently long, they mayrun continuously during their tilting operation). After completion oftilting, the carriage drive 83 is actuated. The direction of movementfor the carriage may be made dependent upon which of the two flights fedthe suitcase onto tilting device 8. The carriage drive 83 may thus beunder control of circuitry included in device 41. The belt (9 or 10)that now carries the suitcase lying down, is brought into alignment withbelt 17. The belt moves the suitcase in direction 6 and carriage 81displaces the suitcase on the belt laterally (arrow 7) to align it withthe center line 18 of the twin counter.

Belt 9 or 10 moves the suitcase onto belt 17, while belt 16 isunderneath belt 17, but now both move in unison, while belt 16 oncarriage 19 moves forward at the same speed as a whole, by operation ofcarriage drive 85. That part of operation is similar to the palletloading operation described in the copending application. After thesuitcase has been placed onto belt 16, the belt itself continues to runin direction of arrow 6 as far as its upper portion is concerned, butdrive 85 retracts carriage 19 at similar speed so that the suitcaseitself remains stationary, and drops onto the pallet un' derneath. Thatdrop is not far, just about the height of endless belt 16 plus the depthof the pallet. The tilting device has returned in the meantime to aposition of alignment of belts 9, 10, respectively, with flights 4, 4.

As shown in FIG. 2, the feeder belt 17 for the pallet loading belt 16can be eliminated, and belt 16 may be shifted directly underneath thetilting device 8, Le, underneath belts 9 and 10 thereof. Actually, thebelt 17 may be needed only to span the distance between the row ofcounter desks and the pallet shaft 21. Also, belt 17 may serve astemporary buffer storage, as pallets, such as 20, may not necessarily beavailable always when tilting device 8 is ready for unloading.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above but allchanges and modifications thereof not constituting departures from thespirit and scope of the invention are intended to be included.

We claim:

1. ln a check-in counter having a counter desk and a baggage receivingarea next to the counter desk and having a front, there being a palletconveyor facility behind the counter; a flight of conveyor beltsdisposed in the receiving area and having conveyor surfaces movingtransverse to the front for moving objects in the transverse direction,away from the front towards the pallet conveyor facility, at least oneof the conveyor belts of the flight constructed as weighing scale, theimprovement comprising:

first means disposed behind the flight of conveyor belts for tilting anobject as received from the flight of belts on its side and transportingthe object further;

second means connected to the first means for laterally displacing thefirst means into alignment with the pallet conveyor facility; and

third means disposed to receive the object from the first means forloading pallets of the pallet conveyor facility.

2. The combination as in claim 1, the third means I comprising aconveyor belt, mounted for moving between a position under the firstmeans and a position above a shaft, there being pallets for loading inthe shaft.

3. The combination as in claim 1, there being a second flight ofconveyor belts provided parallel to the first one, the third means forpallet loading disposed for servicing both of the flights, the firstmeans displacea ble in between positions of alignment with the twoflights and with the third means.

second counter desk and second baggage receiving area in mirror imagedisposition to the first counter desk and baggage receiving area, therebeing additional conveyor means disposed in the second baggage receivingarea, the first means disposed for alternatingly tilting objects fromthe first and second baggage receiving area and servicing the samepallet conveyor facility, by operation of the second means.

I manna I! I On

1. In a check-in counter having a counter desk and a baggage receivingarea next to the counter desk and having a front, there being a palletconveyor facility behind the counter; a flight of conveyor beltsdisposed in the receiving area and having conveyor surfaces movingtransverse to the front for moving objects in the transverse direction,away from the front towards the pallet conveyor facility, at least oneof the conveyor belts of the flight constructed as weighing scale, theimprovement comprising: first means disposed behind the flight ofconveyor belts for tilting an object as received from the flight ofbelts on its side and transporting the object further; second meansconnected to the first means for laterally displacing the first meansinto alignment with the pallet conveyor facility; and third meansdisposed to receive the object from the first means for loading palletsof the pallet conveyor facility.
 2. The combination as in claim 1, thethird means comprising a conveyor belt, mounted for moving between aposition under the first means and a position above a shaft, there beingpallets for loading in the shaft.
 3. The combination as in claim 1,there being a second flight of conveyor belts provided parallel to thefirst one, the third means for pallet loading disposed for servicingboth of the flights, the first means displaceable in between positionsof alignment with the two flights and with the third means.
 4. Thecombination as in claim 3, the first means comprising a third conveyorbelt behind, and normally in alignment with the first flight of belts,and a fourth conveyor belt next to and running parallel with the thirdbelt, and in alignment with the second flight of belts, the third andfourth belts being tiltable about an axis parallel to and between thethird and fourth belts, the second means operating to place the third orthe fourth belt in alignment with the third means.
 5. The combination asin claim 1, there being a second counter desk and second baggagereceiving area in mirror image disposition to the first counter desk andbaggage receiving area, there being additional conveyor means disposedin the second baggage receiving area, the first means disposed foralternatingly tilting objects from the first and second baggagereceiving area and servicing the same pallet conveyor facility, byoperation of the second means.